Cotton-chopper.



No. 644,975. Patented Jan. 23, I900.

. R. W. KIRBY.

BUTTON CHOPPER.

(Application filed Oct. 4, 1399.)

(No Model.) 7 2 Shaats$heet I.

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No. 641L975. Patented Jan. 23, I900. R. W. KIRBY.

COTTUN CHOPPER.

(Application filed Oct. 4, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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RICHARD WV. KIRBY, OF OOOKVILLE, TEXAS.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 641,975, dated January23, 1900.

Application filed October 4, 1899. $erlal1lo. 732,493. (No model.)

To coZZ 2077,0122, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD W. KIRBY, of Cookville, in the county ofTitus and State of Texas, have invented a new and ImprovedCotton-Chopper, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

One object of my invention is to provide a machine especially adaptedfor chopping cotton and in which the various working parts may becollectively raised and lowered to pass an obstruction or when themachine is in transit to or from a field or is turning corners.

Another object of the invention is to provide scrapers in advance of thechoppers adjustably mounted so that they regulate the depth of the cutsand to interpose rollers between. the choppers and the scrapers, whichrollers are arranged to travel in the furrows formed by the scrapers,and thus cause the choppers to rise and fall according to the characterof the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide cultivator-blades at therear of the choppers adapted to travel in the space between rows, and,further, to provide the machine with a removable rake located in advanceof the scrapers and adapted to clear chaff and stalks from the path ofthe scrapers.

The invention consists in the novel construe tion and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine, thesection being taken practically on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the machine, the seat-standard being in section and thesection being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transversevertical section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig.1 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 4 4of Fig. 1.

The main frame A is of skeleton formation and usually rectangularinshape. An axle is held to turn in suitable bearings at the rear end ofthe frame, and supporting-wheels 11 A bevel-gear 12 is mounted to slideon the axle 10 and revolve therewith, the said bevelgear to that endbeing provided with a springcontrolled sleeve 13, engaged by a shiftinglever 14:, suitably mounted on a support 15, that usually extends fromside to side of the main frame A.

An auxiliary frame B is loosely mounted in the main frame A, the rearportion of the auxiliary frame being attached to the main frame bypivots b or their equivalents. The bevel-gear 12 is adapted to normallymesh with a second bevel-gear 16, secured upon a longitudinal shaft 17,journaled in bearings attached to cross-bars 18, carried by theauxiliary frame B. A polygonal hub 19 is secured to the shaft 17 betweenthe intermediate or forward cross-bars 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,and arms 20 are adjustably secured to the faces of the said hub. Eacharm terminates at its outer end in a hoe-blade 21. The hub, arms, andblades constitute the chopping device.

The auxiliary frame 13 is held normally in a horizontal position bystops 22, which engage with the main frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,and when the auxiliary frame B is raised the gear 16 will be carried outof mesh with the gear 12, and consequently the chopping device Willcease to operate.

The machine is assisted in turning corners by attaching to the frontthereof at each side runners or trailers 23, which normally have adownward and rearward inclination, their rear ends being upwardlyturned, and these runners or trailers 23 are pivoted to the main frame,so that they are free to turn in any direction. The main frame A is alsoprovided with a pole 24 or other form of draft device. A longitudinalbar 25 is usually supported on the rear cross-bars 18 of the auxiliaryframe B, and this longitudinal bar 25 in its turn supports the standardof the drivers seat 26. A forward cross-bar 27 is provided for theauxiliary frame B, and hangers 28 are located between the forwardcross-bar 27 and adjacent cross-bar 18, the said hangers receiving thetrunnions of connected rollers 29, and the hoes 21 of the chopper strikethe ground at the rear of the space between the said rollers. Therollers 29 follow immediately behind are mounted on the spindles of thesaid axle. 1 scrapers 30, which scrapers are at angles to ofthe driversseat.

each other and incline rearwardly andoutwardly, and the shanks 31 of thescrapers'are secured to a block 32, held to slide in suitable ways inthe cross-bar 27. Arms 33 are attached to the said block and arepivotally connected with the forward port-ion of the auxiliary frame B,as shown in Figs. 1 and'2. By raising and lowering the scrapers 30 thedepth that the hoes enter the ground is regulated, and as the rollers 29follow immediately behind the said scrapers and in frontof the choppingdevice the rollers travel in the furrows made by the scraper-blades andcause the chopper to rise and fall according to the character of theground traversed.

The adjustment of the scraper-blades is under the complete control ofthe driver, as the sliding block 32 is pivotally connected with acrank-arm 34, attached to a shaft 35, which extends rearwardly along theside of the auxiliary frame B and terminates in a rear crankarm 36,having pivotal and sliding connection with the lower member 37 of anelbowlever 38, pivoted on the adjustable or auxiliary frame B, and thelever 38 is provided with'a suitable thumb-latch for engagement with arack 39, as shown in Fig. 1. The auxiliary frame B is raised and-loweredthrough the medium of a lever 40, mounted upon the main-frame A, beingwithin convenient reach vided with a thumb-latch, also adaptedtoengagewith a suitable rack 41, and the said lever 40 is connected by alink 42 with oneside of the auxiliary'frame B at or near the centerthereof.

It is necessary in trashy ground that some provision should be made toremove the trash" or stalks from the path of the scrapers in order thatthe machine shall not become clogged. This is-eifected through themedium of anan gular rake-43, which is located in front of the scrapersand is removably attached to the front and sides of the auxiliary frameB by Thus,it will be observed, in operation the scrapersclearthe-ground, the rollers 29 serve as-guides for thechopping device, thechopping deviceis driven from the axle of themachine,.and the ground iscultivated after the surplus cotton-plants have been removed.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1.Ina-cotton-chopping machine, af-rame, scrapers adjustable Verticallyinsaid frame, a ch'oppingdevice mounted in the-frame, means for drivingsaid chopping device,-and a roller This lift-lever 40 is pro-.

mounted in the frame between the adjustable scrapers and the choppingdevice, whereby to adapt the chopping device to the surface of the landover which the machine is drawn.

2. In a cotton-chopper, the combination, with a wheel-supported frame,an auxiliary framemounted in the main frame, and alifting device for theauxiliary frame, of scrapers carried by the auxiliary frame, a shaftmounted in the auxiliary frame, means for driving the said shaft fromthe axle of the main frame,

. hoes mounted upon the said shaft, and rollers the'axle of the mainframe, choppers carried by thesaid shaft, and cultivator-bladessuspended from the auxiliary frame, and arranged to travel in the spacesbetween the furrows, as described.

4. Ina cotton-chopper, the combination, with a wheel-supported mainframe, theaxle whereof is provided with an adjustable driv ing-wheel, anauxiliary frame pivoted in the main frame, a shaft carried by theauxiliary frame, receiving motion from the drivingwheel of the axle ofthe main frame, hoes'carried by the" said shaft, vertically-adjustablescrapersalso-carried by the auxiliary frame, a lever arranged to raiseand lower the said scrapers,cultivator-blades located at the rear of thesaid hoes,.and rollers located infront of the hoes and at the rear ofthe said scrapers, the said rollers'being adapted to travel in the trackof the scrapers, and means for raising and lowering the auxiliary frame,as and for the purpose described.

5. In a cotton-chopper, the combination with a main frame, an axlemounted at the rear of the-main frame, supporting-wheels'car ried by theaxle, and pivoted trailers locatedat the forward portion of the mainframe, an auxiliary frame pivoted to the main frame, and means forraising and lowering. theauxiliary frame, of a shaft mounted in theauxiliary frame, means for driving said shaft from the axleof the mainframe, choppers carried by the said shaft, cultivator-blades located atthe rear of thesaid' choppers and attached to saidauxiliary frame,scrapers located in ad'- vance of the choppers, a slidingv support forthe said scrapers, which support'is mounted in the auxiliary frame,means for raising and lowering the said supports for thescrapers, androllers located between the scrapers and the choppers and adapted totravel in the track of the said scrapers, as described;

'6. In a cotton-chopper, the combination, with a main frame, an axlemounted at the rear of the said main frame, supporting-wheels carried bythe said axle, and pivoted trailers located at the forward portion ofthe main frame, an auxiliary frame pivoted to the main frame, and meansfor raising and lowering the said auxiliary frame, of a shaft mounted inthe auxiliary frame, means for driving the said shaft from the axle ofthe main frame, choppers carried by the said shaft, cultivatorbladeslocated at the rear of the choppers and attached to the auxiliary frame,scrapers located in advance of the choppers,a sliding support for saidscrapers, which support is mounted in the said auxiliary frame, meansfor raising and lowering the said supports for the scrapers, rollerslocated between the scrapers and the choppers and adapted to travel inthe track of the said scrapers, and a rake detachably connected to thesaid auxiliary frame in advance of the said scrapers, for the purposeset forth.

7. In a cotton-chopping machine, a wheelsupported frame, an auxiliaryframe pivoted at its rear end in said frame and having means RICHARD W.KIRBY.

Witnesses:

E. V. BRoADs'rREET, LAFAYETTE REYNOLDS.

